Muswellbrook Mayor warns NuCoal will face challenges

The Mayor of Muswellbrook, in the New South Wales Upper Hunter Valley, says he will fight any attempts by the Doyles Creek Mine to disrupt the biodiversity and visual amenity of the district.

NuCoal has submitted its project overview for the proposed Jerrys Plains mine to the Department of Planning.

The mining company made headlines last year when it agreed to stay off the property of legally blind farmer Ian Moore, after a lengthy court battle and State Government intervention.

Under the proposal, a new Coal Handling and Preparation Plant is being considered within the mine's Savoy Hill exploration licence.

Mayor Martin Rush says council is not supportive of the underground mine plans.

"If it's going to be traversing environmental zoning, which has been set apart in council and State Government planning instruments to be preserved for biodiversity values, then I think it's going to face some challenges there," he said.

"It will face challenges if it's going to have conveyed material that will visually impact on the rural landscape."

Mayor Rush says council is in the process of preparing a submission.

"We will now commence that process.

"The process is along the same lines as the processes we have for the other five mines we're dealing with at the moment and we should have that back to the Department within the next few weeks or so."